Description of Area

Tewkesbury Town Hall is a Grade II* listed building situated on the High Street in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire. Constructed in 1788, the building was a gift to the town from Sir William Codrington. The structure is built of ashlar stone and is designed in a Neoclassical style.

The interior is divided into several distinct functional zones. The ground floor contains the Corn Exchange and the Mayor’s Parlour. The first floor houses the Ballroom, characterized by high ceilings and historical portraits, and the Council Chamber. The basement level contains the original 18th-century holding cells, which feature heavy timber and iron-bound doors, stone floors, and vaulted ceilings.

During the investigation, access was granted to the Ballroom, Mayor’s Parlour, the former Courtroom area, and the basement cell block.

Reported Possible Activity

Tall Dark Figure – Staff and visitors have reported sightings of a tall, dark human-shaped figure at the rear of the Ballroom or moving between the portraits. It is often described as watching from the shadows before disappearing.
Unexplained Footsteps – There are various accounts of heavy, rhythmic footsteps being heard on the main staircase and the corridors leading to the old Courtroom, often when the building is confirmed to be empty of living occupants.
Cell Block Phenomena – The basement cells are the site of numerous reports, including an overwhelming sense of unease or nausea. Some visitors have claimed to see shadow figures darting between cell doors or hearing the sound of iron doors clanging shut.

The "Grey Lady" – A female figure dressed in grey clothing has reportedly been seen near the Mayor’s Parlour and the main staircase, appearing for brief moments before dissipating.
Muffled Voices – There have been reports of muffled, multi-tonal voices and whispers in the former Courtroom area, which some have described as sounding like a court in session.
Equipment Interference – Previous investigators have reported unusual EMF (Electromagnetic Field) spikes and instances of sudden battery depletion in electronic devices, primarily localized within the basement area.

Brief Summary of History or Legend

Tewkesbury Town Hall was completed in 1788, replacing a smaller, dilapidated guildhall. Since its opening, it has served as the administrative and judicial center for the town. For over a century, the building hosted the "Quarter Sessions," where local criminal cases were heard and adjudicated.The basement cells served as temporary holding facilities for prisoners awaiting trial or transfer to larger county gaols. In addition to its legal functions, the building has served as a police station, a corn exchange, and a venue for public meetings and civic ceremonies. The building remains in continuous use by the town council, preserving much of its original 18th-century architectural layout and fixtures.

Tewkesbury Town Hall - Public Event - 28/02/2026

Videos of Sessions

Arrival & First Impressions

The team arrived at Tewkesbury Town Hall and divided into two groups: Group A (Ros and Ian) and Group B (Laura and Liam). After an initial walkthrough and equipment setup, the team noted the significant temperature drop inside the building. Baseline tests were completed before the first vigil commenced in the Main Hall.

Main Hall

The entire group gathered for a pendulum session with guest Paula in the centre.

Spirit One – The Female Inmate - A female spirit identified herself as a former prisoner who had been held at the Town Hall. She claimed she was unfairly convicted of stealing bread and was subsequently executed in her 30s. She mentioned having children and indicated that the judge at her trial was "bad."

During this communication, guest Saskia reported the sensation of someone standing directly beside her. Investigation of the area revealed a localized pocket of extreme cold around her, though no environmental cause was found.

Spirit Two – John - The session shifted to a male spirit named John. He admitted to being imprisoned and executed for a crime he did commit. He described a fight over a woman in which he stabbed a man named Dan in the shoulder. He expressed remorse for his actions.

Spirit Three – John (Officer) - A third spirit, also named John, identified himself as a former police officer and warden at the Town Hall. He indicated he worked with a German Shepherd police dog. During this contact, Ian reported feeling a physical tap on his shoulder. Simultaneously, a loud creak emanated from a nearby table, as if someone had sat upon it, though no one was within reach of the furniture.

During the session, the Envirobell device triggered a red light (indicating a heat increase) at the exact moment a guest’s name, Aaron, was mentioned. Additionally, guest Peter was observed being physically moved in response to spirit questions.

The Cellar

Glasswork & Divination
Group A conducted glasswork in the cellar. While the glass did not move traditionally across the table, the cat ball placed inside the glass ignited and moved independently within the vessel. This occurred multiple times while guests reported no physical movement of the glass itself.

Later, the glass began moving randomly between participants. Through questioning, it was determined that the unfriendly male spirit encountered in the Main Hall had followed the group to the cellar. The spirit displayed a specific animosity toward guest Peter, moving the glass aggressively toward him and indicating he wanted Peter to leave the building.

Group B – Trigger Objects & Search
Group B monitored a trigger object setup consisting of old-fashioned keys traced onto paper in the middle cell. Upon inspection, no movement was recorded. The group conducted a search of the cellar, reporting faint knocks in response to calling out. Footsteps and voices heard during this time were debunked as originating from the street level above.

Ouija Session
An attempt was made at a Ouija session in the cellar, but the connection remained weak. Despite an energy build, the planchette movements were minimal and provided no coherent information.

Courtroom & Judges Chambers

Trial Re-enactment
The team conducted a re-enactment in the courtroom to trigger activity. A guest occupied the Judge’s chair while another acted as the accused. During this exercise, a cat ball positioned in front of the "Judge" flashed repeatedly. A REM Pod positioned next to the chair triggered a temperature change alert, though it did not always coincide with the cat ball activations.

Judges Parlour
The group moved to the Parlour for a Ouija session. Communication was highly responsive and again indicated the presence of the unfriendly male spirit who had targeted Peter earlier in the evening.

Chambers & Kitchen Area

Group B conducted Estes method sessions in the chambers. During this time, Laura observed a shadow figure at the rear of the kitchen area. Immediately following this sighting, a door in that area appeared to open. Andy Guy and Laura investigated but could not find a natural explanation for the door's movement.

Communication Experiments

Human Pendulum (Main Hall) - Multiple spirits identified: a female executed for bread theft, a male (John) executed for an assault over a lady, and a former police warden (John). Guest Peter was physically influenced during the session.

Estes Method (Cellar & Chambers) - Two lone vigils were conducted in the cells. Only snippets of music were received, with no relevant verbal communication. Sessions in the chambers provided some disjointed communication but were dominated by physical and visual anomalies in the surrounding area.

Glasswork (Cellar) - Notable for the cat ball moving and lighting up within the glass. Intelligent movement eventually identified the hostile male spirit targeting Peter.

Ouija Board (Cellar & Judges Parlour) - The cellar session was unsuccessful due to weak energy. The session in the Judges Parlour was highly active and corroborated the presence of the hostile male entity.

Hartley Method (Main Hall) - Conducted by Andy Guy with guest participation. The session focused on standardized spirit responses. (See video evidence for specific results).

Auditory Phenomena

Loud Table Creak: Heard in the Main Hall; resembled the sound of weight being placed on the furniture.
Faint Knocks: Recorded in the cellar in response to calling out.
Creeks and Taps: Noted during quiet time in the cellar (some potentially natural).
Footsteps/Voices: Heard in the cellar but debunked as street-level noise.
Taps: Reported by all in the courtroom; some attributed to external noise.

Environmental & Physical Effects

Saskia (Guest): Reported a figure standing next to her; area confirmed as extremely cold.
Ian: Reported a physical tap on his shoulder in the Main Hall.
Tara (Guest): Experienced a sudden cold breeze and temperature drop.
Peter (Guest): Physically moved during the pendulum session; targeted by a hostile entity during glasswork.
Laura: Witnessed a shadow figure in the kitchen area.
Reported feeling hot and dizzy with a burning sensation in her right ear during the Ouija session (symptoms disappeared upon closing the session).
Envirobell heat spike (Red) in response to guest Aaron’s name.
REM Pod temperature alerts in the Courtroom and Judges Parlour.
Cat ball activations in the Courtroom during trial re-enactment.
Unexplained door opening in the kitchen area.

Conclusion

Tewkesbury Town Hall proved to be a highly active location with a strong focus on its judicial and penal history. The investigation yielded clear intelligent responses that corroborated reports from previous teams.

Notable Spirit Contacts:
- The Hostile Male – This entity was the most disruptive presence of the night. He followed the group across multiple floors and specifically targeted guest Peter, expressing a desire for him to leave.
- John (Warden) – A communicative spirit who identified his previous role at the hall and his association with a police dog.
- The Inmates – Spirits in the Main Hall provided consistent details regarding their convictions and subsequent executions.

Key Evidence:

Visual Shadow Figure: Observed by Laura in the kitchen, followed by an unexplained door movement.
Interactive Cat Ball: The ignition and movement of the cat ball inside the glass during cellar glasswork.
Physical Interaction: Multiple reports of taps, pushes, and physical manipulation of guests (Peter).
Technological Responses: The Envirobell's heat spike in direct response to a guest’s name.

The combination of auditory knocks, physical sensations, and consistent communication via the pendulum and glasswork suggests that Tewkesbury Town Hall remains an active site for both residual and intelligent paranormal phenomena.